Dr. Fatou
Ndiaye MBODJI
DeepTech Product & Delivery Leader
Turning research into working products: from roadmap and requirements to delivery and first commercial conversations. PhD in Software Engineering (SnT, University of Luxembourg), with hands-on experience in AI/LLM systems, smart contracts, product ownership and B2B sales enablement.
Core Expertise
A structured approach to turning scientific innovation into operational products and commercial readiness.
Strategic Product Ownership
Eliminate the gap between complex research theory and real user value.
- Value-driven product roadmap definition from Day 1.
- Functional specification and time-to-market reduction.
- Strategic backlog prioritization for lean MVP releases.
- Continuous alignment between scientific vision and market needs.
DeepTech Delivery & Business Analysis
De-risk R&D investments and ensure seamless software execution.
- Agile execution and predictable release milestone tracking.
- Operational leadership of developer teams and technical proxies.
- Business Analysis bridging business logic with software design.
- High-velocity delivery without compromising scientific rigor.
Commercial Operations & Enablement
Structuring tools and methods that help technical teams run their commercial and B2B operations.
- CRM setup and structured lead-tracking workflows.
- Targeted prospecting methodologies (scripts, email sequences).
- Methodological preparation for B2B sales meetings & simulations.
- Qualification frameworks and prospect feedback analysis.
DeepTech Track Record
Proven experience in leading research-driven assets, coordinating technical delivery, and structuring product execution.
Project Leadership & Strategic Product Ownership (AI Systems)
Directed the end-to-end product lifecycle for 5+ LLM and RAG-based software assets from research concept to functional MVPs.
Managed product roadmaps, project timelines, and developer teams within a cutting-edge research environment. Structured backlogs, aligned technical architectures, and coordinated cross-functional research and engineering teams to ensure predictable software execution.
R&D Strategy & Upstream Business Analysis
Served as R&D Specialist leading upstream product discovery, business analysis, and technical specifications for software research assets.
Structured product backlogs, established black-box acceptance testing frameworks, and guided non-technical stakeholders to convert laboratory prototypes into enterprise-grade functional specifications.
Agile Delivery & Operational Execution
From upstream requirements to technical proxy leadership, QA testing, and commercial enablement.
Business Analysis & Strategy
Product Ownership & Commercial Operations
Multi-Sector Bridge
Technical Bridge
Tech Transfer
Mentoring & Management
Core Pillars of Action
Connecting research, technical architecture, product delivery, and commercial operations.
Scientific Rigor
Technical Mastery
Delivery Discipline
Commercial Enablement
Ways of Working
An approach that bridges scientific research, agile product execution and commercial readiness in deeptech projects.
Complementing the Ecosystem
This approach works alongside TTOs, incubators and existing acceleration programs. It acts as an embedded execution layer on the ground, providing the methods, tools, and operational capacity teams need across key project milestones.
- Operational support for key milestone transitions
- B2B preparation and commercial tooling deployment
- Structured coordination with external technical specialists
Operational Support
Early-stage deeptech projects move fast between complex disciplines. Teams are supported through critical transitions while keeping their vision, technical ownership, and decisions intact.
- Product Ownership & Backlog translation
- Business Analysis & functional scoping
- Technical proxy and commercial operations enablement
Collaboration Modes
Capabilities can be built within the team or driven directly alongside it, depending on project maturity and resource requirements at each developmental stage.
- Direct operational execution & Delivery leadership
- Structured team capability building & mentorship
- Targeted workshops and practical execution frameworks
Understand. Prepare. Act. Coordinate. Learn.
Clarify the technical situation, role expectations, and system requirements.
Select relevant methodologies, backlog frameworks, and commercial tools.
Execute within real project conditions to deliver tangible MVP milestones.
Align engineers, researchers, corporate leads, and external specialists.
Capture operational knowledge to ensure long-term team autonomy.
Research & Scientific Contributions
Peer-reviewed research on AI/LLM evaluation, smart contracts, and data governance, alongside specialized conference talks and executive training.
This work covers the complete lifecycle of emerging technologies: from technical verification and security (AI/LLM, Smart Contracts, data governance) to delivering keynote presentations and operational training for academic and professional audiences.
Peer-Reviewed Publications
Keynotes & Specialized Training
Insights & Perspectives
Perspectives on tech transfer, product delivery and leadership, with working notes on methods for early-stage technical projects.
Structuring B2B Workflows in Early-Stage Deeptech Projects
In early-stage deeptech projects, a dedicated sales role often comes only after initial market validation. During this interim phase, technical leads and founding teams conduct their own client interactions.
Read the full articleParallel Realities: Why DeepTech Translation Requires More Than Shared Vocabulary
Constructing a bridge between scientific research and enterprise market delivery is not a simple communication exercise. Concepts that appear identical across academic and business contexts serve fundamentally different operating systems.
Read the full articleSituational Leadership: Calibrating Management Styles Past Apparent Commitment
The Situational Leadership model of Hersey and Blanchard (SLII) pairs four development levels, defined by a team member's competence and commitment on a task, with four management styles.
Read the full articleMethodological Toolkit: from Research Asset to Operational Product
A pragmatic guide and practical toolkit for taking research assets to market-ready B2B operations.
Covering CRM architecture, lead-scoring templates, discovery call frameworks, and early product backlog setups.
Field Retrospective: Lessons Learned from Tech Transfer Execution
An honest, field-level retrospective on leading multi-stakeholder research assets into functional products.
Key takeaways on managing developer proxies, overcoming governance bottlenecks, and maintaining high velocity in R&D environments.
Questions or exchanges on these topics are welcome.
Feel free to get in touch about product delivery, deeptech projects or research collaboration.
Contact
Let's talk.
Open to conversations around product delivery, deeptech projects, and research collaborations. Book a short call at a time that suits you, or send a message and a reply will follow.
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